mirrorshard: (Portrait)
Somhairle Kelly ([personal profile] mirrorshard) wrote2008-10-17 11:11 pm

PSA: Christmas

Early, I suppose, but I was reminded that some people do get terribly organized this early in the year and start getting presents.

So, without further ado: I don't do Christmas. I'll happily exchange best wishes, and I might cook myself something nice, but I try to stay well away from celebrations and most of all I don't like to give or receive presents. It stresses me, both because I have too much stuff already and because I get depressed and panicky about finding appropriate presents.

If you were thinking of giving me a Christmas present, please don't! I don't mind cards at all (although I do not accept or acknowledge any obligation to reciprocate - however, see below) but actual presents genuinely do upset me a bit.

Regarding goats and other charitable-donation presents, I'm content but bemused. Charitable donations are basically a good thing, I feel, but making them in someone else's name and then telling them you've done it always strikes me as faintly ludicrous. (However, if it does strike you as appropriate, I'd like to offer some mild encouragement in the direction of cancer research and heart research charities. Possibly one of these days I should do a photoshoot, like certain other people I know.)

One thing I'm thinking about doing this year is making some cards - probably hand-printed woodblock designs.
[Poll #1280645]

[identity profile] mirabehn.livejournal.com 2008-10-17 11:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Possibly one of these days I should do a photoshoot, like certain other people I know

We endorse this product or service. :-)

[identity profile] weegoddess.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 06:39 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks, sweetie, but J and I don't do cards or presents for Christmas or any winter holiday. It makes me uncomfortable to received cards, since I don't send them.

::hugs you::

[identity profile] nyecamden.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 08:46 am (UTC)(link)
If you want to send me a card at a completely different time of year that'd be cool. (As the former parent of a child lost to adoption I find christmas a very difficult time of year.) If you sent me an un-birthday card, chances would be that you'd get the day right!

I don't do christmas and I mostly don't do birthdays. I don't like the pressure to give, which so often means that people give each other things they don't want or need. If someone gives me a present for whatever reason (and they rarely do, for I am a very spikey recipient of presents), I do not feel under obligation to keep it if I don't like it, and I will pass it on to someone who *does* want it.

I much prefer to do nice favours for people and feed them healthy food that I have made. That warms the cockles of my heart.

Oh, and you reminded me to wear my peace poppy this year.

[identity profile] mirrorshard.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, and you reminded me to wear my peace poppy this year.

Hurrah!
redcountess: (Default)

[personal profile] redcountess 2008-10-18 12:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, duly noted.

[identity profile] elettaria.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 11:25 am (UTC)(link)
I'm another one who really doesn't do Christmas, so if you really want to send me a card, my birthday's a fortnight before it!

D brought home the Oxfam brochure for charitable donations, and I do indeed find it rather odd. Apart from the general oddness of the system, of course the charity is not actually going to use its money according to what the small donors want, otherwise there'd be far too many goats and nowhere near enough sanitation. However, I imagine that the amount of money which comes from such donations is small enough that there will never be a problem with, say, more people donating money to buy goats than actual goats bought, if that makes sense. So it's a sort of polite fiction. I reckon it's a clever idea because it makes people feel more involved with the charity and where the money's going. It's perfect for people in a situation such as a wedding where they genuinely do not want gifts and would rather than gift-givers with money to spare give it to charity, but the gift-givers want to give something present-like.

[identity profile] mirrorshard.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 11:54 am (UTC)(link)
Mm, yes, I see what you mean. I'd never thought about the problem in that sort of detail, but it does make perfect sense.

[identity profile] midnightmelody.livejournal.com 2008-10-18 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
of course the charity is not actually going to use its money according to what the small donors want, otherwise there'd be far too many goats and nowhere near enough sanitation. However, I imagine that the amount of money which comes from such donations is small enough that there will never be a problem with, say, more people donating money to buy goats than actual goats bought, if that makes sense. So it's a sort of polite fiction.

Most charities actually have a disclaimer saying that they will use the money within the broad area you've picked (eg a particular region, or 'health' or 'education') but will choose the specifics that will most help the country.

[identity profile] elettaria.livejournal.com 2008-10-20 12:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, I've seen. My other half has just spent two and a half years working for Barnardo's, and started with Oxfam this morning, where he now has minions (bookshop manager).